Money and divorce, the deadly duo

Ancillary relief and the financial implications of divorce. Getting divorced can have serious economic consequences for those concerned and those consequences can have long lasting effects.

The financial implications of divorceGetting divorced, as we are all aware, is not just about one of the members of a marriage packing a bag and leaving – that is just the first stage in what can be a complex, confusing and troubling process.

Divorce between two people who have no children and who are both in employment may well be less complex than one where children are involved and where one party is not working – usually the wife.

Where property and other assets are also involved in a divorce the lines for battle will be drawn. Getting the right advice about your divorce finances is vital it could help you avoid some expensive mistakes.

Ancillary relief and divorceThis is the term used to describe the proceedings around the financial issues of a divorce. Whilst a husband and wife may well agree that it is in the best interests of both to separate, the tricky question of who gets what very often leads to dispute and the more there is at stake the more acrimonious that dispute is likely to be.

Involvement of the courts in a divorceIf a couple in the process of divorce cannot come to an agreement between themselves, with or without mediation, then the courts have almost unlimited powers to decide the division of the matrimonial assets in whichever way they see fit.

This process operates under well understood rules but it cannot be influenced by either party once the marriage has been dissolved and the decree nisi granted. The Courts have almost total jurisdiction in these matters and can, and will, decide how marital assets will be divided, however unfair it may sometimes appear.

Reasons for divorceAs stated elsewhere, it matters not who did what to whom, the chances of the petitioner not being granted a divorce on whatever grounds for divorce they choose as evidence of marital breakdown are practically nil. Both parties involved have to take the consequences however unpalatable and unjust they may appear.

National Family Mediation encourages separating and divorcing couples to reach mutually agreed arrangements about children, finances and property.

If you have no dependent children and can sort out who gets what without involving the legal profession you could save yourself a lot of money by managing your own divorce.